Their father, Clint Payne, moved the children to South Dakota. He had full custody of both children.

When Clint moved the children, Gray said, her family had no idea where they went or what happened to them.

“We did not know (Clint’s) whereabouts until we got the call from the sheriff’s department telling us to call the HHS office. We called, and that’s when we found out about Landon’s death and that (his sister) was in protective custody,” Gray said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“We didn’t have any contact with Clint after he moved. We had no way of getting in touch with him because we didn’t have a clue where he would have went.

Clint was in jail in South Dakota in August 2009. At first, his then-girlfriend cared for Landon and his sister.

PONCA CITY, Okla. — He loved Thomas the Train and “SpongeBob.” He and his grandma played “tickle monster,” and he and his big sister played house.

Landon Payne was like any other toddler when his grandmother, Vicki Gray, last saw him.

“He was very outgoing. He was the baby, the youngest and, yes, we all spoiled him,” she said. “His older brothers spoiled him a great deal. He just had such a big grin on his face all the time. There wasn’t ever a time you didn’t see a smile on his face. He didn’t know a stranger at all. Everybody loved him and thought he was such a cute little boy.”

Payne died Dec. 22, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney just a few days shy of his fifth birthday.

He allegedly was the victim of child abuse at the hands of his aunt, Sharon Turnell, 37, her husband, Charles Turnell, 38, her daughter, Katie Payne, 19, and Payne’s ex-husband, Dustin Scoville, 23. All four face charges in the case.

Gray of Ponca City, Okla., and Landon’s other family members are grieving and waiting for justice.

Gray said Landon was the youngest child of her daughter, Samantha Head of Cuba, Mo.

The other children are a 7-year-old sister and two half brothers ages 9 and 11. The sister lives with her aunt and uncle in Ponca City, and the boys live with Gray, their legal guardian.

Gray last saw Landon and his sister in June 2007, when their father, Clint Payne, moved the children to South Dakota. He had full custody of both children.

Head had lost custody because of neglect, Gray said.

When Clint moved the children, Gray said, her family had no idea where they went or what happened to them.

“We did not know (Clint’s) whereabouts until we got the call from the sheriff’s department telling us to call the HHS office. We called, and that’s when we found out about Landon’s death and that (his sister) was in protective custody,” Gray said, referring to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

“We didn’t have any contact with Clint after he moved. We had no way of getting in touch with him because we didn’t have a clue where he would have went.”

Clint was in jail in South Dakota in August 2009. At first, his then-girlfriend cared for Landon and his sister.

Then later that month, Sharon Turnell and Katie Payne traveled to South Dakota to pick up the children and bring Landon and his sister to live with them in Nebraska. In addition to Landon and his sister, the Turnells’ five children and one grandchild also lived in the home.

“I do wish that Clint would have contacted us when he got in trouble in South Dakota to come and pick the children up,” Gray said. “My son and daughter-in-law and myself would have found the money somehow, someway to go up there and get those children. I don’t know why he didn’t.”

While Landon and his sister were gone, Gray said, she and the children’s half brothers prayed for their siblings daily.

“We prayed for God to surround them with angels of protection, to protect them from wickedness and evilness. It was very hard for all of us, with our faith in God, not to blame him for not answering our prayers,” she said.

“I’ve told the boys, ‘God did answer our prayers. Even though Landon is not with us, he answered our prayers by protecting (his sister) and those other children from losing their lives. He wasn’t just looking out for (his sister) and Landon, he was looking out for all the Turnell children, too.’”

Landon’s siblings, Gray, and other family members are planning a small memorial service for Landon Wednesday.

Gray said Landon’s sister has been traumatized by the approximately four months she lived with the Turnells.

“We are giving her lots of love, and we’re listening to her. We hold her tight, and we let her know she’s a very pretty little girl, and how much we love her and that she’s still our little princess,” she said.

Landon’s sister, Gray says, is very withdrawn.

“You can tell she has been tremendously traumatized by all of this. She was unsure at first, the first couple of days, of all of us. She wasn’t sure how she was going to be treated. We knew that was to be expected. Her very first day back here, she never once let go of (her brothers). She held onto their hands,” she said.

Landon’s sister has told family members she and Landon wanted to run away from the Turnell home, but didn’t know where to go and were afraid for their lives, Gray said.

She said she blames authorities for not stepping in to end the abuse of the Turnell children before Landon and his sister moved in. “I do not understand why they didn’t, in the last 15 years, why they didn’t protect the Turnell children, let alone my grandchildren,” Gray said.

Now, the family is waiting as court cases for Sharon and Charles Turnell, Katie Payne and Dustin Scoville move through the system.

“I just wish the charges would be changed to murder instead of aiding and abetting because that’s what it truly is. If it would have been an adult who died, it would have been murder charges,” Gray said.

She said she looks forward to the when the cases are finished. “…Then all of us can start the process of healing and forgiving so God will forgive us of our sins. That’s what his word says, that we have to forgive others. I’m not at the point of forgiveness yet, but once this trial is over and they are sentenced, then I’ll be able to start on the road of forgiveness,” she said.

“I pray every day that God will give me the strength and the power to get through each and every day. There are times at night I can’t go to sleep because when I go to sleep I see what they were doing to little Landon. Landon didn’t deserve that,” Gray said through tears.

“He was too precious of a little boy. He loved life. He loved all of us. … We loved him with all of our heart.”